Dice rolling device



Jana 13,1942.

W. B. SMITH DICE ROLLING DEVICE Filed June 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Jan. 13, 1942. W. B. SMITH 2,269,742

DICE ROLLING DEVICE Filed June 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I'NVENTOR LLIFILT-ER B. SITIITH BY reamed Jan. 13, 1942 j wires stares- PATENT orrl-ca 2,269,742 moi: ROLLING DEVICE Walter B. Smith, Incline, Galif.

Application June 7, 1941, Serial No. 397,043

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatus and has particular reference to a device for receiving, rolling and discharging dice in such a manner that there can be no possibility of a crooked manipulation of the dice.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which is continuously operating so that little time is lost in rolling the dice between each game played.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the dice when discharged will operate a signal to indicate the fact that the dice have been discharged and may be examined.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which is economical to manufacture and one which is readily transportable.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. I is a side elevational View of my device, showing the same in discharged position;

Fig. II is a similar View, showing the device in loading position;

Fig. III is a top plan view of Fig. I;

Fig. IV is a cross sectional view on an enlarged 3 scale taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. I; and

Fig. V is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the tumbling barrel.

There are many chance games which are played with dice, and it is a well-known fact that unfair advantage may be taken by a skilful manipulator of dice, whether they be the ordinary sixsided dice or dice having a much larger number of faces.

Applicant has, therefore, produced a machine which is in continuous operation in that the tumbling barrel is continuously rotating, and by discharging dice into said barrel the dice will be rotated and will later be discharged onto a suitable surface in such a manner that they are not handled by the operator after they are placed in the machine. Therefore, there is no possibility of the operator manipulating the device to his particular advantage.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be noted that I provide a base 5 having upstanding supports 6 and 1. These supports serve to rotatably carry a haft 8 having a crank handle 9. A counterweight is shown at l i, which counterweight is secured to the shaft 8 by arms I! and I3. It is, of course, understood that other counterbalancing means maybe employed, if desired. Supported from the shaft 8 are braces I4 and I6 which hold a tubular member II, which has a trap door I8 normally held in closed position by an arm l9 and a counterweight 2|. This counterweight also acts as a hammer to strike a bell 22, as will be later described. The tubular member IT has an offset portion 23 within which are partitions 26 which divide this offset portion into three areas 26, 27 and 28. Rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 29 is a pulley iii, to which is attached the tumbling barrel 32. The pulley 3| is driven by an electric motor 33, or may be driven in any other manner. one end open so as to discharge or receive material from the tubular member II.

The operation of my device is as follows:

Assuming that the motor 33 is running, the device is first moved to the position of Fig. II, after which the dice are placed in the tubular member, as indicated by the arrows in this figure. The device is then tipped so that the dice Will roll into the tumbling barrel 32 where they will be tumbled; and as the device is swung upon its shaft 8 and to the position of Fig. I, the continuous rotation of the barrel 32 will complete the tumbling of the dice and discharge them into the tubular member lL. They will be discharged one at a time and will roll to the far end of the tubular member, which, as will be noted in Fig. I, is inclined; and as soon as the third dice rolls out upon the door N3, the weight will be sumcient to overcome the counterweight 2!. Therefore, the three dice will be dropped one into each of the sections 26, 21 and 2B, and during the dropping operation, the bell 22 will be struck by the counterweight 2 I, thus indicating that the dice are on the table. By now moving the crank hand 9 to lift the tubular member and its offset portion 23, the dice will be fully exposed and the top number thereon may be readily viewed.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A dice rolling device consisting of a base,

' a horizontal shaft positioned above said base, a

The tumbling barrel has tubular member carried by said shaft, a, rotating barrel mounted between said shaft and said tubular member, said tubular member and said barrel being in axial alignment one with the other, a chamber communicating with said tubular member and having partitions positioned in said chamber, and means whereby dice discharged from said barrel through said tubular member will be deposited on said base in spaced relation.

2. A dice rolling device consisting of a base, a horizontal shaft; positioned above said base, a tubular member carried by said shaft, a rotating barrel mounted between said shaft and said tubular member, said tubular member and said barrel being in axial alignment one with the other, a chamber communicating with said tubular memher and having partitions positioned in said chamber, and means whereby dice discharged from said barrel through said tubular member will be deposited on said base in spaced relation, said means including a pivoted door forming a portion of said tubular member, said door being normally held closed when said device is in discharged position through the medium of a counterweight, said counterweight being capable of striking a bell when the dice are discharged from said barrel to said base.

WALTER B. SMITH. 

